1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to automotive seating. More specifically, the invention relates to a construction for the rear seat of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
One perception of a higher end automotive vehicle is the low level of noise occurring in the passenger compartment of the vehicle as the vehicle is being driven along a roadway. The noise generated from the rear floor panels of a vehicle contribute to the overall noise levels within the interior cabin of the vehicle. The panels themselves vibrate in a range of frequencies that produce noise, which has the negative side effect on the perception of the quietness of the vehicle.
Various means have been devised to insulate the passenger compartment from noise or to dampen the noise being transmitted into the passenger compartment. For example, the metal surfaces of automotive floor panels, door panels and roof panels have been coated with compositions of fillers dispersed in binders so as to provide the desired level sound deadening. In other examples, sheet materials have previously been heated, softened and applied so as to conform to the surfaces to similarly provide the desired sound deadening capabilities. In addition to coating or covering the metal surfaces of structural components of the vehicle, another method of providing for the deadening sound within the automotive vehicle is formation of an acoustically insulating carpet assembly that incorporating features and materials that enhance the attenuation properties of the carpet. However, incorporating such carpeting over the entire interior of the vehicle, and specifically in locations where carpeting is not visible, is a poor implementation of such systems in that it is expensive and undesirable.